'one of the best contemporary statements of what is occurring in the growth of urban places in the Third World' Environment and Planning 'a book that should enjoy a wide appeal: as a plea for adoption of the 'popular approach'; as a text for student use; and as an accessible and stimulating guide to the urban problems of developing countries' Progress in Human Geography 'a very readable book, containing a lot of well documented information The book is especially relevant for interested lay people but many professionals will benefit from having a copy on the bookshelf' Third World Planning Review The true planners and builders of Third World cities are the poor. They organize, plan and build with no help from professionals. Drawing on their own skills, making the best use of limited resources and forming their own community organizations, they account for most new city housing. But the city, which thrives on their cheap labour, rejects them. Their houses are deemed illegal, because they do not conform to regulations and they are called 'squatters', because they cannot afford to buy sites legally. Their right to water, education and health care, even to vote, are often denied. This book challenges many common assumptions about the urban Third World - for example that urban citizens live in very large cities and that cities are growing rapidly, or that city dwellers benefit from 'urban bias' in government and aid policies. It is about the lives of the 'squatter citizens' and the problems they face in their struggle for survival.

'one of the best contemporary statements of what is occurring in the growth of urban places in the Third World' Environment and Planning 'a book that should enjoy a wide appeal: as a plea for adoption of the 'popular approach'; as a text for student use; and as an accessible and stimulating guide to the urban problems of developing countries' Progress in Human Geography 'a very readable book, containing a lot of well documented information The book is especially relevant for interested lay people but many professionals will benefit from having a copy on the bookshelf' Third World Planning Review The true planners and builders of Third World cities are the poor. They organize, plan and build with no help from professionals. Drawing on their own skills, making the best use of limited resources and forming their own community organizations, they account for most new city housing. But the city, which thrives on their cheap labour, rejects them. Their houses are deemed illegal, because they do not conform to regulations and they are called 'squatters', because they cannot afford to buy sites legally. Their right to water, education and health care, even to vote, are often denied. This book challenges many common assumptions about the urban Third World - for example that urban citizens live in very large cities and that cities are growing rapidly, or that city dwellers benefit from 'urban bias' in government and aid policies. It is about the lives of the 'squatter citizens' and the problems they face in their struggle for survival.

Despite four decades of development planning, at least one third of the urban population of Africa, Asia and Latin America remains poor. Over 600 million live in 'life and health threatening' homes and neighbourhoods because of poor housing and inadequate or no piped water, sanitation and health care. But even as the shortcomings of government and development programmes become more apparent, so do the untapped abilities of low-income groups and their community organizations to develop their own solutions. This book analyses the conditions necessary for successful community initiatives and includes case studies of 18 intermediary institutions (most of them Third World NGOs) who provide technical, legal and financial services to low-income households for constructing or improving housing. Many also work with community organizations in improving water, sanitation, drainage, health care and other community services. Through the analysis of innovative financial systems for income generation, house construction and service provision, Funding Community Initiatives considers the feasibility of loans for addressing current urban housing problems. It also considers how to increase greatly the scale and effectiveness of support going to low-income households and community organizations. This book will be of interest to students and professionals concerned with urban development in Africa, Asia and Latin America, especially those concerned with low income shelter and community finance.

This volume sets out the issues behind environment-related diseases caused by inadequate sanitation, contaminated water, airborne pollution, garbage, overcrowding and dangerous sites. It describes the development of actions to address these hazards and to rectify living conditions in the long term.

Despite four decades of development planning, at least one third of the urban population of Africa, Asia and Latin America remains poor. Over 600 million live in 'life and health threatening' homes and neighbourhoods because of poor housing and inadequate or no piped water, sanitation and health care. But even as the shortcomings of government and development programmes become more apparent, so do the untapped abilities of low-income groups and their community organizations to develop their own solutions. This book analyses the conditions necessary for successful community initiatives and includes case studies of 18 intermediary institutions (most of them Third World NGOs) who provide technical, legal and financial services to low-income households for constructing or improving housing. Many also work with community organizations in improving water, sanitation, drainage, health care and other community services. Through the analysis of innovative financial systems for income generation, house construction and service provision, Funding Community Initiatives considers the feasibility of loans for addressing current urban housing problems. It also considers how to increase greatly the scale and effectiveness of support going to low-income households and community organizations. This book will be of interest to students and professionals concerned with urban development in Africa, Asia and Latin America, especially those concerned with low income shelter and community finance.

New edition of Environmental Problems in Third World Cities Cities in Africa, Asia and Latin America contain some of the world's most life- and health-threatening human environments. Environment-related diseases and injuries cause millions of preventable deaths each year. In many squatter settlements, children are 40 to 50 times more likely to die before the age of five than they would be in Europe or North America and most such deaths are environment-related. Many cities also cause serious environmental degradation to their surroundings and increasingly contribute to global warming. This updated and much expanded edition of the classic Environmental Problems in Third World Cities describes environmental problems and their effect on human health, local ecosystems and global cycles. It points to the political causes that underpin many of these problems - including ineffective, unaccountable governments, and aid agencies' reluctance to work with the urban poor. It also highlights innovative solutions such as: * High-quality, low-cost homes and neighbourhoods developed by urban poor groups working with local non-governmental organizations * Local Agenda 21s developed by municipal governments in partnership with community organizations.* In their analysis, the authors show that cities can meet sustainable development goals. There are practical, affordable solutions to their environmental problems, but most of these depend on more competent and accountable city governments and on more support for low-income households and their organizations. The book also outlines the changes needed international aid agencies to support this. PRAISE FOR THE FIRST EDITION 'It's rare to encounter a work as authoritative and accessible as this. It is a mine of useful information from cities in every corner of the Third World, which does not shy away from the immensity of the problems, but says as much about the solutions to them as about the problems themselves' Jonathon Porritt 'Well written and very accessible' The Geographical Journal 'Of value to students, teachers, practitioners, policy makers and aid agencies' Third World Planning Review 'A valuable resource for understanding the underlying problems�[this book offers] practical alternatives' Cities International.

Table of Contents

A New Environmental Agenda for Cities? * Environmental Problems in the Home, Workplace and Neighbourhood * The City Environment * Who Bears the Environmental Costs in Cities * The Rural, Regional and Global Impacts of Cities * Tackling Environmental Health Problems * Tackling City-wide Problems * Sustainable Development and Cities * Conclusions *